Being Stalked by an American Kestrel on the Tuolumne River

I've had some nice interactions with certain birds of late. Of course the goal in birdwatching is to avoid pestering the birds or changing their behavior because of your presence. But in the cases lately (the Red-tailed Hawk, and the Ring-billed Gull) the birds were perched just above the trail or walkway and I couldn't avoid walking by.

I see two or three American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) almost every time I walk the Tuolumne Parkway Trail where the river leaves the Sierra Foothills. Two of them seem to be a pair. And they are usually pretty skittish, flying off even when I am still far away. Today, the male watched me as I approached, but I kept my head down and didn't stop until I was past. I slowly turned around and got an eyeful from the small falcon. But it didn't fly away. I guess I lost that stare-down...